It is no secret anymore, Austrian bike maker KTM is about to launch the fully faired sibling of the Duke 125, the RC 125. While we do not have a confirmed launch date for this motorcycle yet, conversations with a few KTM dealers have revealed that the bike can be expected to be launched this month itself, and some of them have started to accept bookings for the same. Prospective buyers can now pay a deposit of INR 5,000 at select dealerships for this pocket rocket, which, is completely refundable in case of a cancellation. This motorcycle would be an interesting offering for newcomers, who are less likely to put themselves in trouble due to the smaller engine, as well as seasoned riders, who can exploit the well-engineered chassis.
Expect this new model to come with the same engine as the Duke 125. This motor uses a DOHC setup, 4 valves per cylinder, liquid cooling and fuel injection, this motor generates 14.5 PS at 9,250 rpm and a twisting force of 12 Nm at 8,000 rpm. This motor rests in a trellis frame, the same used by its larger siblings, the RC 200 and the RC 390, which shall be suspended by an upside-down fork suspension in the front and a pre-load adjustable mono-shock at the rear. Expect the RC 125 to borrow the brake setup from the Duke 125 as well, which uses a 300 mm disc at the front and a 230 mm disc at the rear, governed by a single channel ABS unit and rear wheel lift mitigation system as standard.
Also Read: KTM RC 200 Raids Its MotoGP Cousins’ Wardrobe
When launched, expect the KTM RC 125 to be priced marginally more than the Duke 125 which now, after 2 price hikes, comes with an ex-showroom price tag of INR 1.30 Lakh. If launched in the range of INR 1.35 Lakh to INR 1.40 Lakh, this entry-level sports bike will compete with the Yamaha YZF-R15, which has an ex-showroom price tag of INR 1.39 Lakh. Although being lower on power, the trellis frame of this motorcycle will be the same as that of its larger siblings, imparting very good riding dynamics to the machine, perhaps even better than the Japanese bike. Keep looking at this space for more news around this Austrian pocket rocket.